Latest news with #Democrat-majority
Axios
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Indiana passes bill to court Illinois counties
The Indiana Legislature has passed a bill creating a commission to study the Indiana/Illinois boundary in the hope of stealing away several downstate Illinois counties. Why it matters: The legislation, which Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is expected to sign, is a step forward for the separatist movement in Illinois. Voters in downstate Republican counties have shown dissatisfaction with the Democratic majority in Illinois, saying the current state government doesn't reflect their values. The intrigue: Indiana's GOP seems hell-bent on exploring the idea of absorbing downstate Illinois counties that have recently passed ballot referendums looking to break from Illinois, even if Illinois' Democrat-majority General Assembly wants no part of it. The latest version of the bill, which received final passage Thursday, makes Illinois' participation voluntary instead of mandatory. What they're saying: "That's their choice, whether they want to participate or not," Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, said after the vote. Zoom in: Gov. JB Pritzker has waved off the attempt as a stunt, but downstate Republicans like Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) want the state to take it seriously. He authored a bill to appoint Illinois representatives to the Indiana panel, but Democrats in the Illinois House have quashed it. "Indiana is doing its part to facilitate the wishes of these rural residents. It is time for the Illinois Legislature to do the same," Halbrook tells Axios. "The only reason for Democrats to oppose this idea is simple vindictiveness." Between the lines: Halbrook suggests it could be a win for Illinois Democrats, who could redraw the state to help elect more Democrats to Congress. But losing Republican-majority counties could set back the Illinois GOP, which is trying to claw its way back to statewide offices. State of play: The separatist movement has passed referendums in 33 Illinois counties (out of 102). Reality check: Though the Illinois movement has generally centered on splitting from Cook County, Huston sees an opportunity to expand Indiana's borders. "I think it's been a great opportunity to talk about all the great things going on in Indiana, and to say, look, you know, we'd love to have that conversation," Huston said. Yes, but: Don't expect new state borders anytime soon.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Democrat trying again to secure discounts for all Nevadans on 10 expensive prescription medications
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Prescription medication costs are forcing some hard choices for many Nevadans. Two years ago, a proposal that offered hope sailed through the Democrat-majority Nevada Legislature only to be vetoed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo. Democratic Assem. Venicia Considine, who represents parts of Henderson and east Las Vegas, is trying to pass what is essentially the same bill this session. Fellow Democratic lawmakers asked her to explain why she thinks it has a chance this year. 'The needs are still here,' Considine said. 'I am hopeful that the governor will do the right thing this time.' What looks to be a replay of the same battle began Wednesday in Carson City as Considine defended her strategy that would have Nevada piggyback onto lower prices negotiated by the federal government. President Joe Biden authorized Medicare to negotiate the maximum fair price (MFP) for 10 prescriptions. 'The bill is designed to reduce the cost of certain high-cost, non-competitive, life-changing drugs by extending the benefits of federally-negotiated Medicare drug prices under the Inflation Reduction Act to Nevadans who are not on Medicare and need these specific life-sustaining drugs,' Considine said. But the bill's opponents say it could have some important unintended consequences. Pharmacies could end up eating the price difference, and many might just stop selling the medications because it's not profitable. Considine has heard that argument and several others before. But she is intent on pushing through Assembly Bill 259 (AB259). It has the potential to cut the cost of 10 medications 25% to 60% for Nevadans who would otherwise only qualify for the discounts if they were on Medicare. The medications are: Eliquis (for blood clots) Jardiance (treats diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease) Xarelto (for blood clots, other coronary and arterial treatments) Januvia (for diabetes) Farxiga (treats diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease) Entresto (treats heart failure) Enbrel (for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis) Imbruvica (treats blood cancers) Stelara (for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis) Fiasp, Fiasp FlexTouch, Fiasp PenFill, NovoLog, NovoLog FlexPen, NovoLog PenFill (for diabetes) The MFP for these 10 drugs goes into effect in 2026. In January, Medicare announced the 15 drugs that it would negotiate on with prices starting in 2027: 1.) Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, 2.) Trelegy Ellipta, 3.) Xtandi, 4.) Pomalyst, 5.) Ibrance, 6.) Ofev, 7.) Linzess, 8.) Calquence, 9.) Austedo, Austedo XR, 10.) Breo Ellipta, 11.) Tradjenta, 12.) Xifaxan, 13.) Vraylar, 14.) Janumet, Janumet XR, and 15.) Otezla. Considine criticized corporate drug manufacturers and pharmacies for turning a blind eye to what prices are doing to consumers, describing them as bullies. 'What about the people who are suffering who need these drugs and they can't afford them? What about the idea of our state's responsibility for the health and safety of all Nevadans?' Considine said. Another Assembly Democrat, Erica Roth, said when she was campaigning, she frequently heard from constituents about cost of living concerns. 'hat came down to housing and prescription drug costs,' she said. Others on the Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor echoed her remarks. Among those who testified in opposition to AB259 was Adam Porith, vice president of pharmacy at Renown Health, which dominates health care in Northern Nevada with its flagship Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno. Porith was representing the Nevada Society of Health System Pharmacists. Porith said AB259 would undercut the work done by Medicare, which doesn't work in the simple way envisioned by Considine's proposal. 'Under the federal plan, pharmacies will purchase medications at their normal wholesale price. Pharmacy claims for Medicare patients will then flow to a Medicare transaction facilitator, who will inform drug manufacturers of qualifying prescriptions for which to apply a rebate to pay the pharmacy that will eventually equate down the line to what the MFP is,' Porith said. Pharmacies are still waiting for official word on how everything is actually going to work with the federal government. AB259 doesn't have any of that process built in, he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NY Democrats blink as controversial state election bill affecting Rep. Stefanik seat declared dead: reports
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect reporting that New York Democrats have decided not to move ahead with the legislation. A controversial New York state election bill will no longer come to fruition, as multiple reports said the bill was put on hold at the behest of Gov. Kathy Hochul. Sources separately told the New York Post and City & State New York that Hochul asked the Democrat-majority legislature not to take any action on the legislation – which would give the governor more power to decide when special elections can be held and potentially delay the filling of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik's deep-red upstate seat once the Republican is confirmed as U.N. Ambassador. The Post reported some of the reasoning stemmed from negotiations between Hochul and the Trump administration as to the longevity of the state-operated MTA's "Congestion Pricing" tolling program in New York City – which the president has opposed. City & State reported state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, declared the bill at least temporarily a non-starter at an afternoon meeting. Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, R-Oswego, also confirmed the bill is "no longer moving forward." Read On The Fox News App "It was a terrible piece of legislation in policy & principle. Thanks to strong pushback from Republican legislators & North Country residents, the bill has been halted," Barclay wrote on X. State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara Falls, added in a statement to Fox News Digital that while the bill "appears to be defeated for now, we will remain vigilant against any effort to bring it back." The reform bill had been set to come up for a vote Monday. Critics called it a naked attempt to keep Stefanik's North Country congressional district without a representative until November, while Democratic sponsors say it will save local and taxpayer resources. The bill, which would allow Hochul to postpone elections or combine them with upcoming general elections, was marketed by Democrats as a cost-saving measure that helps ensure more voters will cast ballots in specials. However, Ortt said that for all Democrats' claims about President Donald Trump being a threat to democracy, the truth is belied in their own legislation. "It's all about the outcome, not process, democracy, voter participation – they could give a s---. They could give a s---," Ortt said. Tough Decisions For Sanctuary Cities After Bondi's Fund-withholding Order "I can't shame them; they have none… 800,000 folks [in Stefanik's soon-to-be-former district] will not have a representative in Congress 'til November. That's a disgrace for a party that says it cares about democracy," he said, predicting Hochul will use the law to its maximum extent when enacted. Ortt said the bill has two different provisions – one for federal elections and one for state legislative elections and ruminated how they could benefit Democrats. He pointed out that state Sen. Simcha Felder, D-Brooklyn, is likely to seek an open seat on New York City Council in the politically-moderate, majority-Jewish Borough Park area. Felder caucused with Senate Republicans from 2013-18, which gave the GOP a slim, technical majority in Albany for part of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's term. Ortt said Democrats stand to potentially lose Felder's Senate seat, which explains the reported two-tiered changes in the bill. Meanwhile, Barclay said 44% of New York state voted for Trump and the legislation shows his opposition is still smarting about it. Gop Rips Hochul's Inflation Refunds "No, they don't accept that result," said Barclay. "So they're going to do everything they can, including depriving 800,000 people of a say in the budget [or] the SALT (tax deduction for high-taxed states) bill." Barclay noted that if Stefanik's seat remains vacant when the Farm Bill is voted on later this year, a significant portion of New York's agricultural lands will lack representation. But Democrats remained united, with Senate President Andrea Stewart-Cousins saying in a statement that New Yorkers currently face "unprecedented challenges, including the strain on our democracy and our high cost of living." "[T]his legislation is a common-sense approach that saves taxpayer dollars while maximizing voter turnout," said Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers. Currently, Hochul has 90 days to call a special election once Stefanik, or Felder, resigns. The bill's text suggested the current special elections' framework in Albany is an operational and financial drag on counties and taxpayers – additionally citing "voter confusion and fatigue." Therefore, giving the governor the power to potentially consolidate elections is pertinent. As NY1 reported, the bill also does not mandate Hochul – or any governor – to combine special and general or primary elections, but now gives her the power to do so. Some in Stefanik's district, however, believe Ortt's claims may have substance. "By holding up a special election, they're keeping the North Country from having congressional representation at a critical moment," state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, told Plattsburgh's NBC affiliate. Stec is one of several Republicans vying for the seat, along with Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino, Assemblyman Chris Tague of Schoharie, and author Liz Joy, who previously ran against Democratic Rep. Paul Tonko in the neighboring Capital Region district. Tague told Fox News Digital that Hochul's political career began via a special election using the same laws Democrats are seeking to change. "She's tossing them aside to cut backroom deals … leaving the people of Upstate and the North Country without a voice," Tague said. A spokesman for Stewart-Cousins told NY1 that state Democrats will not "be lectured to by a party that openly celebrated the release of violent felons that attempted to overthrow a presidential election and have opposed every single voting reform that increases voter participation."Original article source: NY Democrats blink as controversial state election bill affecting Rep. Stefanik seat declared dead: reports
Fox News
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
NY Democrats blink as controversial state election bill affecting Rep. Stefanik seat declared dead: reports
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect reporting that New York Democrats have decided not to move ahead with the legislation. A controversial New York state election bill will no longer come to fruition, as multiple reports said the bill was put on hold at the behest of Gov. Kathy Hochul. Sources separately told the New York Post and City & State New York that Hochul asked the Democrat-majority legislature not to take any action on the legislation – which would give the governor more power to decide when special elections can be held and potentially delay the filling of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik's deep-red upstate seat once the Republican is confirmed as U.N. Ambassador. The Post reported some of the reasoning stemmed from negotiations between Hochul and the Trump administration as to the longevity of the state-operated MTA's "Congestion Pricing" tolling program in New York City – which the president has opposed. City & State reported state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, declared the bill at least temporarily a non-starter at an afternoon meeting. Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, R-Oswego, also confirmed the bill is "no longer moving forward." "It was a terrible piece of legislation in policy & principle. Thanks to strong pushback from Republican legislators & North Country residents, the bill has been halted," Barclay wrote on X. State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara Falls, added in a statement to Fox News Digital that while the bill "appears to be defeated for now, we will remain vigilant against any effort to bring it back." The reform bill had been set to come up for a vote Monday. Critics called it a naked attempt to keep Stefanik's North Country congressional district without a representative until November, while Democratic sponsors say it will save local and taxpayer resources. The bill, which would allow Hochul to postpone elections or combine them with upcoming general elections, was marketed by Democrats as a cost-saving measure that helps ensure more voters will cast ballots in specials. However, Ortt said that for all Democrats' claims about President Donald Trump being a threat to democracy, the truth is belied in their own legislation. "It's all about the outcome, not process, democracy, voter participation – they could give a s---. They could give a s---," Ortt said. "I can't shame them; they have none… 800,000 folks [in Stefanik's soon-to-be-former district] will not have a representative in Congress 'til November. That's a disgrace for a party that says it cares about democracy," he said, predicting Hochul will use the law to its maximum extent when enacted. Ortt said the bill has two different provisions – one for federal elections and one for state legislative elections and ruminated how they could benefit Democrats. He pointed out that state Sen. Simcha Felder, D-Brooklyn, is likely to seek an open seat on New York City Council in the politically-moderate, majority-Jewish Borough Park area. Felder caucused with Senate Republicans from 2013-18, which gave the GOP a slim, technical majority in Albany for part of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's term. Ortt said Democrats stand to potentially lose Felder's Senate seat, which explains the reported two-tiered changes in the bill. Meanwhile, Barclay said 44% of New York state voted for Trump and the legislation shows his opposition is still smarting about it. "No, they don't accept that result," said Barclay. "So they're going to do everything they can, including depriving 800,000 people of a say in the budget [or] the SALT (tax deduction for high-taxed states) bill." Barclay noted that if Stefanik's seat remains vacant when the Farm Bill is voted on later this year, a significant portion of New York's agricultural lands will lack representation. But Democrats remained united, with Senate President Andrea Stewart-Cousins saying in a statement that New Yorkers currently face "unprecedented challenges, including the strain on our democracy and our high cost of living." "[T]his legislation is a common-sense approach that saves taxpayer dollars while maximizing voter turnout," said Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers. Currently, Hochul has 90 days to call a special election once Stefanik, or Felder, resigns. The bill's text suggested the current special elections' framework in Albany is an operational and financial drag on counties and taxpayers – additionally citing "voter confusion and fatigue." Therefore, giving the governor the power to potentially consolidate elections is pertinent. As NY1 reported, the bill also does not mandate Hochul – or any governor – to combine special and general or primary elections, but now gives her the power to do so. Some in Stefanik's district, however, believe Ortt's claims may have substance. "By holding up a special election, they're keeping the North Country from having congressional representation at a critical moment," state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, told Plattsburgh's NBC affiliate. Stec is one of several Republicans vying for the seat, along with Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino, Assemblyman Chris Tague of Schoharie, and author Liz Joy, who previously ran against Democratic Rep. Paul Tonko in the neighboring Capital Region district. Tague told Fox News Digital that Hochul's political career began via a special election using the same laws Democrats are seeking to change. "She's tossing them aside to cut backroom deals … leaving the people of Upstate and the North Country without a voice," Tague said. A spokesman for Stewart-Cousins told NY1 that state Democrats will not "be lectured to by a party that openly celebrated the release of violent felons that attempted to overthrow a presidential election and have opposed every single voting reform that increases voter participation."
